1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a selector lever apparatus for a vehicle having an automatic transmission system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, the selector lever of a vehicle having an automatic transmission system (to be referred to as an AT car hereinafter) can be shifted to various positions, such as parking position (P) for mechanically fixing the output shaft of the transmission system, reverse position (R) for reversing the vehicle, neutral position (N) in which the engine output is completely disconnected from the output shaft of the transmission, and drive position (D) wherein the plurality of forward gears are shifted automatically. The action of shifting the selector lever from the parking position to another position is normally accompanied by the simultaneous pressing of a push button arranged on the selector lever.
The selector lever of the AT car is normally set at the parking position during parking so as to reliably stop the vehicle. When the vehicle is to be started, the selector lever is shifted from the parking position to the drive or reverse position after the engine is started. In this case, if the shifting operation of the selector lever is performed while the brake pedal is depressed, the vehicle is not abruptly started and hence no problem is posed. However, for example, in a state wherein the engine is rotated at high speed during warming up or immediately after the engine is raced, if the parking brake is released and the selector lever is shifted to the drive or reverse-position without depressing the brake pedal, a driving force is abruptly transmitted to the driving shaft of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle is abruptly started against the driver's will. Abrupt starting of the vehicle may cause an accident.
Recently, demands have been arisen for a technique which can reliably prevent abrupt starting of an AT car.